Promises Made Fade in the Morning Light
by Yukari Rin
Summary: Written for the Naruto wishlist livejournal community's 2006 gift exchange.  HanaHinaNejiish.  They made a promise that night, but hadn't expected her to be the one to break it.


**Title:** "Promises Made At Night (Fade in the Morning Light)"

**Recipient's name: **shoeythoughts

**Author's notes:** (Written for the Narutowishlist community's 2006 Christmas gift exchange. forgot to post it here) HanaHinaNeji has always been one of my "I sort of like it but don't really do/read anything for it" pairings/groupings, so I was glad that your request allowed me to finally put aside my other stuff and focus on these three. I hope you enjoy it.

**Pairing(s):** HanaHinaNeji(-ish)

**Warning(s): **Character death

**Genre(s):** Angst

**Rating:** K+

**Word Length:** 1,939

**Description:** They had made a vow that night, but they hadn't expected her to be the one to break it.

"Promises Made At Night (Fade in the Morning Light)"

The clan's elders had retreated into the far end of the room (grudgingly, - they refused to leave so that they could confirm their leader's death.) as Hiashi's daughters came in to say their final good-byes to their father. He had retired from active duty a few months before, when he had first fallen ill, and since then his daughters had both been taking on as many missions as possible - trying to make him proud for what little time he had left.

Hinata sat on his right (she was the first daughter, after all) near his shoulder. Hanabi sat near his elbow, on his left. She had been the stronger of the two in her early years, but her sister had caught up slowly and steadily. They had made their father proud, time and again, but he would never tell them in such plain words.

"Father, is there any thing you need?" Hinata asked, bending forward slightly.

"Water, please," he replied, his throat dry.

Hanabi turned to the pitcher at her side and poured the clay cup half full. Her sister helped their father sit upright as she held the cup to his cracked lips. When he had his fill he sighed and looked at his daughters. The family resemblance was there, but each had distinct features. Hanabi took after him; and Hinata after their long passed mother.

"Is Neji here?" he asked.

"Cousin Neji is on his way, father," Hanabi told him, tucking his blanket back in. "He was washing himself of the remains from his mission when the messenger reached him." Hiashi nodded slightly, approving the excuse for his nephew's tardiness.

"Hiashi, Neji has arrived," intoned one of the elders.

"Send him in, please," Hinata spoke for her father. Neji entered, his long hair still damp from his quick shower. His soft-colored clothes hung to his body as he tucked his legs beneath him as he settled on Hinata's left.

"Uncle, I came as quickly as possible," he apologized.

The man nodded. "I have often wanted to know one of your opinions, Neji, on the current state of our divided family."

The young man's expression showed his surprise as he looked at his cousins, questioningly. "Both Houses are prospering, Uncle, they Hyuuga are still a large part of Konoha's shinobi force-"

"But what is the Branch House saying about my not branding either of my daughters?" Hiashi interrupted.

Neji kept silent, trying to sum up the occasional comments he heard. The topic had died down over the years, but ever since Hiashi had fallen ill, people began to wonder who would lead the clan after he passed on. Hinata felt her heart quicken its pace as she watched her younger sister. If the tradition had been kept up, the younger girl would have the green seal on her clear forehead at this time. But if Hiashi had decided to make Hanabi his heir, Hinata would have been the one with the seal.

"Some wonder why you did not send Hanabi to the Branch House when she was still young, uncle. Others still have lingering doubts about Hinata's ability to lead," Neji paused, glancing quickly between the two kunoichi. "But it is most commonly believed that you did not wish to divide your immediate family as had been done in the past."

Hiashi closed his eyes and smiled very gently. "And they are correct." He opened his eyes and locked eyes with each of them for a moment before turning his gaze to the next. "Neji, do you still believe that one cannot escape their destiny?" He did not wait for a reply. "My brother gave up his life, his only personal decision in his life. His words haunted me as the years went by, and I used Hinata's obvious weakness to my advantage so that I wouldn't have to give Hanabi up when she reached three." He turned his head to the right and searched Hinata's face. "Can you forgive me, Hinata?"

"Yes, father," she answered softly.

"My last request is that the Hyuuga will no longer automatically place the curse seal on their fellow members. As Hizashi decided on his own to die in my place, as all ninja offer their lives for their village, let our clan members freely take on the seal." His body shook as a coughing spell began. Hanabi poured him more water which he refused. "Promise me, my daughters, and my nephew."

Hanabi hid her face behind a veil of brown hair as she placed the cup back down onto the tray. Hinata's heart filled with emotion as she felt the weight of her father's words (the change had come, and Naruto had nothing to do with it in the end).

"It will be done, Uncle," Neji replied seriously. A few of the elders grumbled as the others motioned them to keep quiet in front of the dying man.

"I will not chose an heir, let the ninja best suited to lead our clan do so. Be they from the Main House or Branch House."

"It will be done," bowed the eldest of the elders, pressing his forehead into the tatami.

"For too long we have been tying worthy members of our family down, it is time for us to let our children go free."

"As you wish," the elder bowed again.

Several minutes later Hiashi ceased breathing. The room had been silent except for the sounds of his labored breath, and once he stopped the room was so silent it almost buzzed. Hinata sobbed as she brought her hand to her mouth, tears quickly pouring from her eyes as her body trembled with grief. Hanabi remained unmoving, eyes unblinking as she took in the sight of her eternally sleeping father. Neji rose and silently stepped behind Hinata to his uncle's head and pulled the blanket over his face, lowering his eyelids.

It was after the memorial service, several days later (but after Hiashi's body had been cremated) that Neji once again visited the Main House. Hanabi was preparing to head out on a mission as Hinata was preparing tea. "Hanabi, you've hardly been home since father passed. The Hokage gave you permission to take a break while we settled clan matters, didn't she?"

Hanabi tugged on a glove. "Yes, but I'm a ninja, sister. I'm better suited to the work than I am to clan politics."

"Are you sure that you're not getting too tired, though?"

"I'm fine, sister. Father trained me hard, sitting around makes me antsy," she smiled and tied her hair back from her face. At fourteen years-old her face still had a few lingering traces of baby fat, despite the rest of her body being thing and toned. Hinata had never been slim, but she had learned to move gracefully despite her fuller body, and had learned to use her appearance to her advantage, taking many enemies by surprise at her quick attacks. "Well, I'm off. I should be back within a week."

"Take care," Hinata called as he sister closed the door behind her. Neji entered not too long after Hanabi had left.

"Cousin Neji, have you put any thought to who should lead the clan?" Hinata asked as she poured him a cup of tea.

"I think it would be best if someone from our generation were elected. Our older relatives may have trouble adhering to your father's will."

"Have you thought of leading the clan?" the question was soft but serious.

"It had crossed my mind, yes," he returned slowly.

"I don't possess the talent to lead people, and Hanabi has expressed her dislike of politics."

"Hanabi is still young, though."

"Yes, but you are strong and you understand how the clan works. I think you are the most suitable clansman to lead us, cousin. You have my support, and when Hanabi returns, I'm sure she will pledge hers as well," she poured her own cup and settled into her seat. "You have suffered from the clan's traditions more than we have," she adds as an after thought, as if implying that supporting him is the least that she and her sister can do.

"Thank you, Hinata," he murmurs as one of the maids calls out a visitor's name.

The sky is dark and the stars glow dimly in the moonless night. They have found the right house, now it is time to find the right room - the right person. One of the two slides open the door to a bedroom and creeps to the futon where the woman sleeps. It is her, he recognizes as he clamps the drug dampened cloth over her mouth and nose before she can fight back. He does not bother to remove her hightail-ate from her forehead. They are gone with the woman as quickly as they appeared, leaving no sign of their presence.

Hanabi returns when she said she would and is met at the gate by Neji. His face is ashen and he looks as if he has not slept for a few days. The bright morning sun hides nothing from her eyes, and she can tell that something is wrong. She wipes a bit of dirt from her cheek as she moves her mouth to speak.

Neji begins before her, though, his deep voice unusually soft. "Hanabi, while you were away, there was an intruder at the Main House."

It is all he needs to say and she feels her knees collapse beneath her. He shoots his hands out to catch her elbows. History has a funny way of repeating itself, she thinks as she lets her cousin lead her home. The signs of a scuffle were clear in the thin layer of loose dirt that covers the streets near the Hyuuga Main House. The crowd parted as Neji and Hanabi arrive. They had placed small squares of material over the faces of the intruders - Kumo-nin ("Just like last time," a woman whispers as Hanabi passes her), two of them this time, instead of one.

She was ushered into her home and into the room where her sister's body was laying. The elders backed away (not grudgingly this time, after all, Hanabi had now lost all of her immediate family) as the young woman felt her knees smack against the floor. Her sister's thick blue-black hair had lost its luster against the grey-blue skin that was once a healthy white. The wound from where the kunai had embedded itself in her heart had been stitched closed and covered, Neji had told her on their way inside. She saw the hitai-ate wrapped around Hinata's forehead and shook her head. "No, she didn't..." she breaths.

Neji closed his eyes, it's impossible to deny the truth, especially when it's easily visible. Hanabi grabbed his sleeve and shook him. "Why did she do this, cousin? Why did you _let_ her?"

'She did it without my knowing," he offered her.

Hanabi failed to choke back a sob that has been stuck inside of her ever since her father died. She bent over her sister and carefully lifted her head, untying the knot holding her shinobi headband in place. Behind the navy blue was the white of bandages. Hanabi continued to shake her head in disbelief. "I don't understand. Why would she do this?"

"It was her decision, Hanabi," Neji tried to comfort his younger cousin. "She died protecting the clan. She defied destiny - she wasn't weak."

It was a small comfort, but she knew how much Hinata had desired to be strong, how much she wanted to hear Neji and her father tell her that.


End file.
